India critically short of testing kits: Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi red flags the low numbers of COVID-19 testing in India. "India delayed the purchase of testing kits & is now critically short of them. With just 149 tests per million Indians, we are now in the company of Laos (157), Niger (182) & Honduras (162). Mass testing is the key to fighting the virus. At present we are nowhere in the game."

Rahul also suggested that the government should isolate virus hotspots and allow business to reopen in other areas.

He slammed the government for the blanket lockdown as the poor have suffered. In a tweet on Monday, he said, "The one-size-fit-all lockdown has brought untold misery and suffering to millions of farmers, migrant labourers, daily wagers and business owners. " he tweeted

The former Congress President said, "It needs a smart upgrade, using mass testing to isolate virus hotspots and allowing businesses in other areas to gradually reopen," he said further in his tweet.

While the PM in his address listed seven points, the Congress has raised seven questions and has said that the public wants seven road maps from the government.

Congress Chief Spokesperson Randeep Surjewala accused the government that from February 1 till April 13 only 217,553 tests have been done. This works out to 3021 tests a day and asked when the government is going to start testing more people.

The Congress also asked the government why the PPE and other personal kit are not being provided to frontline workers and what is the strategy of the government on migrant labourers who are struggling to make ends meet.

"Lakhs of acres of Rabi crop is standing there as there are no arrangements for harvesting. What about the purchase of the crops on MSP and is there no responsibility of the government towards the farmers," questioned Surjewala.

There is mass unemployment and people are being retrenched from jobs. Where is the economic recovery taskforce, where will the youth go for employment and what is the government roadmap to streamline the economy, mainly the support system for farmers, small shopkeepers and marginalized workers, he asked.

"In comparison the the world the government is at the bottom in providing economic relief in the pandemic," said Surjewal.